My Greenbrier River Trail Hang-up

**Crash** · 07-13-2010, 23:23

Originally Posted by HappyCamper

Hey Crash! Hope you didn't live up to your trail name! What's the railtrail like? Do you need a mountain bike for it?

Mtn. bike it. A guy on a recumbent with street tires I met on the trail in the southern end. He had already did the SOBO pass. So it could be done with a street bike, just not desireable.

I downloaded them to the Gallery but cant get them in this post. So check this below for the photos:
http://www.hammockforums.net/gallery...p?i=10056&c=10
http://www.hammockforums.net/gallery...p?i=10054&c=10
http://www.hammockforums.net/gallery...p?i=10055&c=10
Sorry about the quality - their cellphone photos.

Trail surface is 1" gravel and they are putting down 1/4" gravel and some spots are packed dirt. Some gravel is too thick in spots.
It was great trip. The street fair in Marlinton was a hoot.

Happy Camper: I "crashed" @ Jack Horner's store MP45. I ran out of water 15 miles earlier and thought I could make it. WRONG. Don't drink Mtn. Dew & 1/2 pizza on a hot day and expect not to throw up & lie down. Lesson learned.

Now I'm gonna head off & do the C&O canal path. Prob start at Harper's Ferry or Williamsport and head west. Maybe this thursday or friday.

**MedicineMan** · 07-14-2010, 00:37

THANKS for posting this. I've always wanted to bike the entire trail. I've done the New River Trail on bicycle but this trail is next when I'm in the mood to live out of paniers. When I was studying it seemed like you could hang about anywhere you wanted to, me thinking it was bounded by national forest...but after reading your report it seems like you are supposed to stay in designated campsites?
And WV, could you be pursuaded to shuttle a car/bike/person for money? On trips like this finding a shuttle AND a safe place to leave the vehicle is often harder than the event itself, at least so I've found doing section hikes on the AT for 36+ years.
Also any pics of your trip would be greatly enjoyed by many.

WV · 07-14-2010, 06:26

Originally Posted by MedicineMan

And WV, could you be pursuaded to shuttle a car/bike/person for money? On trips like this finding a shuttle AND a safe place to leave the vehicle is often harder than the event itself, at least so I've found doing section hikes on the AT for 36+ years.

Medicine Man,
Sure - happy to shuttle and play Trail Angel - no charge.

**Crash** · 07-14-2010, 21:22

[QUOTE=MedicineMan;285378]When I was studying it seemed like you could hang about anywhere you wanted to, me thinking it was bounded by national forest...but after reading your report it seems like you are supposed to stay in designated campsites?
QUOTE]

Yes you must stay at the designated campsites. And they are good sites to pitch a hammock. I pitched about 50' into the woods from the campsite but most have enough trees to pitch right there. West Virginia hasn't chopped down all their trees in the campsites like some places do.

I do not know what the Monagahela Nat. forest regulations are. There were enough sites not to have to stealth it.
Funny thing was in the site I did go 50' into the woods, I am glad I did. At MP 51 campsite, a car pulled up and parked in the campsite at 0237hrs!!
Luckily it was only a couple on a midnite tryst and not "redneckguntotingshootupeverythinginsightbeerl aden" young gentlemen that are sterotyped about from West Virginia.

**Crash** · 07-14-2010, 21:34

[QUOTE=MedicineMan;285378]
And WV, could you be pursuaded to shuttle a car/bike/person for money? On trips like this finding a shuttle AND a safe place to leave the vehicle is often harder than the event itself, at least so I've found doing section hikes on the AT for 36+ years.
QUOTE]

I parked @ Cass along with other cars and no problems experienced or reported to me by others. The parking places are so far out of the way of the usual partyandsmashupyournewcarwithbeerbottles that it does not worry me. The ranger I met said there were very, very few problems or incidents on the trail. I think most of the parking lots are near enough to houses, not like the A.T. in the middle of nowhere or like the Jersey Shore where the numerous drunken kids in a party shack beat up your car.

The shuttle is a good idea if you don't want to bike uphill. The brochures say the trail is only 1% OVERALL, but I know its more than that in the south and middle sections.

The Greenbrier Rail Trail was worth the 6-1/2 drive down there.

**Knotty** · 07-14-2010, 23:44

Sounds like a nice trip, Crash. Glad you're enjoying your retirement.

I've been out of mountain biking for about a decade already but a rail trail mixed with hammock camping could convince me to get back in the saddle.

**Shug** · 07-15-2010, 07:35

Sounds like a lot of fun !
I have thought of a lightweight trip like that on my 29' Unicycle.....
Thanks for the report....
Shug

WV · 07-15-2010, 07:46

Originally Posted by Shug

Sounds like a lot of fun !
I have thought of a lightweight trip like that on my 29' Unicycle.....
Thanks for the report....
Shug

Explain, please. Is that wheel diameter or seat-post height?

**Shug** · 07-15-2010, 07:51

Originally Posted by WV

Explain, please. Is that wheel diameter or seat-post height?

Wheel diameter.........

WV · 07-15-2010, 08:03

Serves me right for asking.

Incidentally, I recently had occasion to ride a bicycle several miles while wearing an Aarn pack. It was not unsuccessful. Might be the pack of choice for a unicycle, too.